A lack of timely veterinary services is a persistent problem for many Kenyan farmers.
But a local innovator, Benson Ameda, is harnessing digital technology to change that.
Through VetNow, a new telemedicine platform, farmers can now connect virtually with veterinary professionals, saving time, reducing livestock losses and tackling counterfeit drugs.
Ameda, the project manager of VetNow, was among 25 promising livestock entrepreneurs who pitched to impact investors during the second Kenya Livestock Investor Meeting & Pitch Event held in Nairobi last week.
The event was organised by the International Livestock Research Institute, Gatsby Africa and AgThrive.
“In Kenya, we don't have enough veterinary surgeons to serve every farmer. Even the number of veterinary paraprofessionals is still inadequate,” Ameda said.
“VetNow is a tool that not only extends access to care but also ensures accurate clinical diagnosis by enabling real-time consultations.”
He said that farmers often find themselves in crisis when an animal falls ill, especially in remote areas.
“Sometimes a practitioner takes hours to reach a farm, and by then, the situation could have worsened making a farmer panic and choose to slaughter the animal prematurely,” he said.
“With VetNow, a practitioner can instantly assess the situation remotely, provide advice, and, if necessary, arrange an in-person visit.”
The platform uses Kenya’s high mobile phone penetration to its advantage. Farmers can log into the VetNow app, initiate live video calls with professionals and even send video clips of sick animals.
This allows practitioners to make faster, more informed decisions. For instance, a limping cow might initially seem to have a fracture, but a video review could reveal symptoms of milk fever instead.
The innovation comes at a critical time for the livestock sector, which contributes 42 per cent of the agricultural GDP and supports more than 25 million livelihoods, yet remains severely underfunded.
Experts at the investor event said that sub-Saharan Africa suffers livestock losses equivalent to 25 per cent of agricultural GDP annually due to preventable diseases.
Ameda said VetNow is also tackling another major challenge: counterfeit veterinary drugs.
“A large percentage of animal health products in the field are fake,” he said. “With VetNow, farmers and vets can scan a drug and verify if it's registered with the Kenya Veterinary Medicines Directorate. This builds trust and ensures proper treatment.”
He added that the tool also helps combat antimicrobial resistance. “When we use unregistered or counterfeit drugs, the consequences can affect both animals and humans. VetNow ensures traceability and informed decision-making.”
Another key feature of the platform is supervision. “Veterinary paraprofessionals using the tool are supervised in real time by licensed vets,” Ameda said.
“Even if the supervising vet is at a conference, they’ll receive live updates and can intervene if a disease appears to be recurring, triggering alerts to government authorities if there's an outbreak.”
VetNow also keeps records that can support farmers with insurance claims or medical history reviews. “If an animal dies, an insurance company can access real-time, verified treatment records through VetNow,” Ameda said.
So far, VetNow has been piloted among 1,750 farmers in Kiambu and Nakuru counties. The initiative has also trained 150 veterinarians and 800 veterinary technicians and technologists.
Ameda now plans to scale the platform to additional counties including Narok, Marsabit, Isiolo, Kajiado and Nyandarua.
“We are seeking equity and grant funding to expand VetNow into 12 counties, further develop the technology and boost farmer outreach,” he said.
The investor event convened key players across Kenya’s livestock value chain including innovators in beef, poultry, feed, animal health and value-added processing, to explore investment opportunities and drive the sector forward.
